In Syria, Evacuations Begin for Civilians, Militants
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The transfer of populations of two predominantly Shiite towns of Syria, in exchange for moving terrorists and civilians out of two others, has started, under an evacuation deal between warring parties, a monitor said on Friday.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said buses started transporting people, under a pact that involves four towns, Reuters reported.
A member of one of the Shiite parties said 60 buses were moving through the town of al-Foua.
Recently, the Syrian government and anti-Damascus militants reached a deal to evacuate the residents of Foua and Kefraya in exchange for the transfer of Takfiri militants out of towns besieged by the army.
Thousands of militants and their families would depart for Idlib, while thousands of people would leave Foua and Kefraya for government-held parts of Aleppo province, according to the terms of the deal.
Foua and Kefraya in the northwestern province of Idlib are encircled by Takfiri terrorists. The militant-held towns of Zabadani and Madaya near the Lebanese border are under siege by Syrian government forces.
Foua and Kefraya are the only government-held enclave in Idlib’s militant-held area.
The towns of some 20,000 people have been under siege since 2013. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with a lack of food and basic necessities.
